Ponder(verb) to weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully; to consider attentively

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Good Enough For Jesus

As a Canadian, I confess to little knowledge of America’s food stamp program. Assistance varies from province to province based on factors such as regional unemployment rates; one thing for certain – Canada doesn’t pigeon hole recipients with the stigma of food stamps. Social assistance is based on a shelter allowance and “support” payment to cover necessities. Additionally, the Family Bonus program pays $111.00 (tax free) a month to low income families for each child under 18. Aid is available for dental expenses, bus passes, training, daycare, an endless list of “circumstance” provided you meet the criteria. I’m not saying our system is perfect or adequate – I will say Canadian poor are spared “labels” stamped on our low income neighbors to the south.

In Canada we don’t often hear of welfare fraud or abuses, nor do we peg or pass judgement on purchases made by recipients. We have the same drug. alcohol, and mental illness issues. Unemployment, child poverty, affordable housing, homelessness – we deal with the same problems. What we don’t do is stamp the poor with indelible ink – we don’t marginalize by issuing a food stamp card – a system that instantly labels users, an inescapable mark, tisked and judged by those who haven’t a clue what poverty involves.

I go out of my way to avoid Fox News; “news” being a rather thin veil for “opinion” (a position cemented years ago when a hotel guest complained Canada favoured CNN, which he called the “Communist News Network”) I get a glimpse of Fox once in a while when watching The Daily Show. Last night Jon Stewart opened with a piece on food stamps – a segment comprised of clips courtesy Fox News.

Ponder what Fox reported – People were observed using food stamps to purchase fresh seafood, food stamps were even accepted at organic food shops in New York. One recipient had the nerve to purchase bait, with intention to go Bass fishing. Fox condemned buying dog food, tossed in “reports” of gambling, liquor, and concession stands at Disneyland. I was annoyed but my holy crap moment didn’t happen until a guest on Neil Cavuto from a few years ago complained about disposable diapers.

10/26/2011:

NEIL CAVUTO: Bailouts from cradle to grave, Connecticut Democrats pushing for the government to pay for diapers for low-income families with babies.

NEIL CAVUTO GUEST #2 (10/26/2011): If you can’t afford these new-fangled diapers, what’s wrong with going back to old school? … The swaddling cloths were good enough for Baby Jesus, they’re probably good enough for your baby too.

My blown mind reminded itself Fox News aired this story. I tried to dismiss absurdity, tell myself no sane person actually felt this way – not a chance! I demand every self righteous, bible thumping fundamentalist who nods in holier than thou agreement with swaddling good enough for Jesus, immediately swaddle their own children. Who do these six figure talking heads think they are? Imbeciles clucking that if you give the poor disposable diapers, next they’ll be asking for car seats and toothpaste.

There will always be cheaters, no system is perfect. That said, stop being asses about it and give people some dignity – my guess is you’d find them rising above.

You know we often disagree, however, I do like your idea about using cloth diapers. That’s all Jesus would have had to use and frankly, they were much easier than the plastic ones. I used plastic on occasion.
As to your opinion on news channels, I have to disagree. Back in 2008, when obama was first running your precious mainstream media made him out to be so great and with loads of experience, more experience than Sarah Pallen. Yet the only job that man ever had was as a “Community Organizer”. So don’t let on that the mainstream media is truthful. They will say whatever it takes to make the Left look good and even when the Left is sooo wrong. Fox reports the Right side. I guess it depends on which side one leans to as to which news they see as more honest and reliable.

I can’t help myself – I have to begin with your statement regarding my “precious mainstream” news sources making Obama out to be the bee’s knees when the only job (according to you) he ever held was that of community organizer.

Obama graduated (with honors) from Harvard Law School in 1991. He was the first African-American elected as editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review.He practiced as a civil rights Lawyer in Chicago, also as a part time professor at University of Chicago’s Law School. He published an auto-biography in 1995 Dreams From My Father – A Story of Race and Intolerance – which has received a second printing and been translated into 10 languages. He was elected Illinois State Senator in 1996 – he worked on health and childcare programs for the poor, and as head of the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee saw legislation requiring all interrogations be video taped, become law.He was responsible for the creation of state income tax credits for the working poor. Following 9/11 Obama opposed George Bush war mongering saying “I’m not opposed to all wars, I’m opposed to dumb wars”. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, he and Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indian partnered on a bill to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Russia and Eastern Europe, he and another Republican – Tom Coburn of Oklahoma started a website to track federal spending. He became an advocate for victims of Hurricane Katrina, championed alternative energy sources, and fought for veteran’s benefits.His second book in 2006 – The Audacity of Hope – Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, was #1 on the New York Times best seller list.

I could go on, but choose to stop at that. My “precious media” didn’t pull these facts out of thin air. Before you make a blanket statement such as Obama’s only previous job being that of “Community Organizer” – please take the time to do a little independent research.

It’s all too easy to discount and disregard, anything not originating from sources bent on misinformation or bias. Swallowing propaganda as truth is a dangerous road to travel. All I ask is that people look at the facts before passing misguided judgement.

We don’t have to agree – all I can tell you is that I have far greater respect for differing views when time is taken to look at both sides of the story.

My knickers were in such a twist over your Obama statement I forgot to address the diaper comment. It was Neil Cavuto on Fox News who balked at the poor using disposable diapers. I simply suggested people of means who suggest cloth was good enough for baby Jesus – ought to put their opinion to good use in their own lives. I can’t imagine wives of these judgemental idiots “swaddling” their babies because it was good enough for Jesus – despite nannies, money to burn on diaper services, and the financial stability to do so if they wanted – I highly doubt it’s the case. Passing holier than thou judgement on single mothers with a couple of young children, limited access to washing machines, while struggling to put food on the table – I find it embarrassingly hypocritical.